There may be several new believers who were sold a bill of goods when they were won over to Christ. They may have been told that when one becomes a believer, God will miraculously change their life situation; that he will soon transform their rough circumstances into something better. They may have been led to believe that God will always protect them from every kind of harm, and because they are a believer, life will be frictionless if only they would put their faith in God. But mature believers know this to only be half true. We know that God does protect us, but we also know that he may choose for us to go through the storm. Job knew this, even though his wife struggled with the concept. It says in Job, chapter 2, verses 9 and 10:
“His wife said to him, ‘Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!’ He replied, ‘You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?’ In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.”
It is a huge disservice to promise new believers a frictionless life. Because when their faith is tested; when they find that there is a circumstance that God wants them to walk through, not rescue them from, their faith may fail. Job said, “shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” If you are walking through something today and you’ve prayed for deliverance, all to no avail, consider this verse. Consider that God may want you to walk through the storm. He may have decided not to rescue you from it or to help you avoid it. But also know that in all situations, God is with you. Regardless of what you see with your eyes, know that he can see the bigger picture, and may be working in ways you cannot see. I encourage you to trust him. I encourage you to have faith.
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“Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” Job reminds us that God is sovereign. And in his sovereignty, he may decide to have us walk through something instead of rescuing us from it. If you are familiar with the story of Job, you will know that God allowed Satan to have free reign on him and his family. God already knew, and had decided, that Job would have to walk through all of the calamities he faced. It was only at the end did Job see the bigger picture, and because of his faithfulness God restored to him all that he had lost and more. Will you be like Job? Will you trust God? If you are struggling today, I encourage you to allow the Holy Spirit to give you a new perspective on your situation. Allow him to lift your head and give you hope. Allow him to remind you that God has your best interest at heart, and understand that this may be one of the times he chooses for you to walk through your situation instead of rescuing you from it.